Tractor attachment for burning in bearings



Nov. 17, 1925. 1,561,964

" R. c. wlTTMAN ET AL ANmwrcm ATTAcHNENT FOR BURNING 1N BEARINGS 'Find Apr-11 17. 1925 minimum;

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Nunmllll l INVENTOR 7? C. Wit www ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 17, 1925.y

Pa TENT foi-anice.

'im/AN, or 1ST annuals, nNNsYiLfwr-nmn.

TRACTOR ATTACHMENT moaunivmefrn *BnAniNGs.

applicati@ .med .April 17, i925. lsea-nal fno. 2?.,986.

ABe it known. that ave,R1oHARD`C.AVVITT MAN, VHILARY'F.. lWl'rTMAN, and EDWIN A. VITTMAN, v'citizens fof the UnitedStates, and residents of StMarys, in the .county of "Elk and State vof Pennsylvania, lhave invented certain new "and useful Improvements .in rIlra'ctor .Attachments `for j Burningf in .Bearings, `of 4which the .following is p a specifica'- tion.

Our invention relates to :the lburning. in tot the bearings of amotor for the v:Iu'rpose of securing va -desirable unit'orniity'l and 's'niodtli-r ness of contact .surfaces inthe bearings, and

" it consistscinthe combinations,,constructions and `arrangements herein .described .and claimed. i

.An object ofthe invention is theprovis'ion of 'an attachment -or a tractor of a vWell knoivntype .of construction which will afford yfacilities for making .use of `the vInotive power i of .the tractor to V.burn @in the `bearings of amotor.

A further object of the invention is kthe provision of Ian attachment. of ythe y(':liar'ac'tr described lwhich aincludes a nfra-me structure for supporting van .engine block Vso 'that the crankshafbof the ,engine Willbe supported firmly in .positio'nfto vbe coupled to ya ',drive shaft of ,the tractor in alinement lvvithr .the drive shaft and the engine bl'ock tvill be. held substantially ,rigid lvvith Vthe housing 'of vthe drive shaftoffthe tractor so `that the Lbearings .of the engine vwill be burned `in uniformly.

yA still further object of the invention yis theprovision'in an attachmentfof .the character described of. a `novel Yand eiicientfmeans for couplingthe crankshaft ofanengine'to a rotating part of :the power plant of the tractorso thatthe crank shaft will be .turned in its bearings .when ,the power plant of the tractor .is operated Without any power being transmitted tocthe'tractor Wheels.

Other objects and advantages of .the .invention Will be apparent lfrom the v.following description,fconsidered .in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which :f- ,n

.Figure l is a fragmentary side elevationio'f the rear end vportion of a tractor equipped with an'attachment Iembodying lthe inven- Jsimu-,portions of the l,liousir'igof 'thejtractor being broken away to 'show 'internal parts and a transmission gear .of the'tractor power plant being shown insection,

V'Figure 2 plai'i View showing 'the `attachment'secured lin lplace on' therear portion rof'the tractor fandshdw'ving an engine block supported :by `the 'attachment vandfthe crank fs'hafty oflthe engine coupledfto'a rotatingipart of'tlie'tracftorfpovver plant, y

. rFigure B 'is 'a 'section substantially along the line `ofFigure, y1,. Y i

nl5`i`g1're '4 affragmenta'ry vertical section Showing a portion of the driveshaft `jhou`s' ing df Athe tractor'togcther with a "thrust bearingfand a s'tu'ngbox through twhich the "drive Shaft v"extends, vand figure Fr-is a rspective View if laf drive shaft which l`the invention lI'no'vides,injlieu of the'usual Worm 'shaft dfgthe tractor.

In 'Figure l, We showtherearportiono' a tractor of a Wellfknovvntypeof construction. The power plant 'o'this tractor fincludes 'a transmissiongear l which is'suppor'ted lvvithinthe tractor body and `which has Va rearwardly extendinghub I2 for :the 'reception s of the Ai'orvvard end portion Vofthe tractor drive shaft;V The usual 'tractor fdrivesliaftis not shown but as is 'Well'fknowm such tractor drive fslia'ft has ylongit'udinal :grooves in *its frontfendfportion for engaging Withsplin'es carried internally "by the hub 2 so 'that 'the drive-,shaft will turn ywith ,the .transmission gear' '1. The :usual ltractordrive shafta'lso is provided with a Worm `in 'mes'h with fa Worm gear 3 Ifrom Which motion :may be transmitted through the usual dilerential, ntfshovvn, 'Kto vthe rear axle shaft-41er the tractor andthen'to'thetractor IWheels. The Worm Wheel 3 is Y housed Within a Worm \'v l1eelllio11`sing 5 lwhich may be integral with a f" tubularf housing 6 int which isf disposedthe Figuret.

"The iparts described so "'f'ar vare ordinary parts 'of 'a tractor "of va 'Wellknowntype of construction and form no 'partof the lpresusual Worm :thrust bearing unit, asiat 17 in entf-inventionexcept in so 'far as they cowhich Will novvlbe'dethe 'transmission' gear 1 so v-that fthe drive shaft' 8 will rotate in unisonfvsiththe transmision gear "l.` 'The 'driveshalft -8 is out of 'engagement with the teeth of the worm wheel 3 and has the rearward end portion thereof, which may be enlarged as shown at 10, supported in the bearing unit 7 and in a stuffing box 11 which is secured by fastening devices, such as the bolts 12, to the rear end of the drive shaft housing 6 in the place of the usual draw bar cap, not shown. The drive shaft 8 protrudes from the stun?- ing boX 11 and has the extreme rear end portion thereof formed to be square in cross sectional contour as indicated at 13.

rllhe supporting frame of the attachment comprises a pair of elongated side bars 14, each of which is angular in cross section. These side bars 14 are connected by a lower cross bar 15 which has the opposite end portions thereof disposed fiatwse against horizontal flanges of the side bars 14 and secured rigidly to the latter by bolts and nuts indicated at 16 or like fastening devices. With this arrangement, the side bars 14 lwill'have the horizontal flanges thereof turned laterally outward and will have the vertical flanges thereof parallel with each other. These parallel vertical flanges are secured to opposite sides of the drive shaft housing 6 at the juncture of the drive shaft housing with the worm wheel housing and the side bars 14 are further stayed to the drive shaft housing and worm wheel housing structure by a pair of inclined stay bars 18 which have the lower end portions thereof secured rigidly by bolts 19 or like fastening devices to the vertical flanges of the side bars 14 adjacent to the forward ends of the latter, the upper end portions of the stay bars 18 being secured by bolts 2O to the worm wheel housing at opposite sides of the latter. The bolts 2O may be ordinary parts of the worm wheel housing construction.

rllhe lower cross bar 15 connects the side bars 14 forwardly of the middle points of the side bars.

Space thus is provided between the side bars 14 rearwardly of the cross bar 15 for a considerable portion of an engine block 21 which has an outwardly turned rim flange 22 at its upper end supported upon the inturned flanges 23 of angular supporting rails 24 which are secured by fastening devices, such as the bolts and nuts 25 to the vertical flanges of the side bars 14 of the supporting frame of the attachment. The inturned flanges 28 of the rails 24 may be provided with adjusting devices such as the cap bolts 26 which are arranged at intervals along each flange 23 and have the heads thereof disposed above the flange 23 and their shanks in threaded engagement with vertical openings in the flange 23. riChe hereinbefore mentioned outwardly extending rim flange at the upper end of the engine block rests upon the heads of the bolts 26 and it is obvious that the respective bolts 26 may be adjusted as desired to support the engine block so that the axis of the crank shaft 27 of the engine will be in alinement with the drive shaft 8, even though irregularities of surface 'f may exist in thel rim flange 22 of the engine block or in the flanges 23 of the support-l ing rails. rlhe engine block is clamped in position on the rails by a pair of parallel clamping members 28 which are adapted to slide downwardly between the upper end portions of the vertical flanges of the side bars 14 to and from position to rest upon the rim flange 22 of the engine block. The clamping members 28 are connected together for movement as a unitvby means of an upper cross bar 29 to which the clamping bars 28 are rigidly secured by bolts and nuts as indicated at 30 or like fastening devices. The clamping members 28 are shown as being channel bars secured to the cross bar 29 so that the flanges of the clamping members are horizontal and the lower flanges of the clamping members will rest flatwise on the rim ange of the engine block and an effective clamping action will be secured when pressure is applied to the clamping members 28. rlfhe end portions of the cross bar 29 extend laterally of the clamping members 28 and have vertical openings for the reception of the upper end portions of tie bolts 80 which are extended upwardly through openings in the horizontal flanges of the side bars 14 and are clamped to the outer sides of the vertical anges of the side bars 14 by straps 31 and fastening devices 32. Nuts 38 are in threaded engagement with the upper end portions of the tie bolts 30 and can be manipulated to exert pressure on the upper cross bar 29 and thence through the clamping members 28 upon the rim flange at the upper end of the engine block, whereby the latter will be held firm-I ly in place on the rails 24 after the adjusting devices 26 have been adjusted to assure alinement` of the axis of the crank shaft 27 with the axis of the drive shaft 8. The drive shaft 8 is connected with the crank shaft 27 by means of a coupling plate 84 which is shown as being circular in outline and as having a central opening 85 which conforms in outline to the cross sectional contour of the non-circular end portion 13 of the drive shaft and is adapted to receive the latter. The plate 34 is secured flatwise to the usual flange 36 on the adjacent end of the crank shaft by means of fastening devices such as the bolts and nuts indicated at 87, said bolts extending through alinedv openings in the flange 36 and the coupling plate The opening is slightly larger in cross section than the non-circu lar end portion 18 of the shaft 8 so that slight play between the shaft 8 and the 1 coupling plate 34 is permitted and a very hrA a neer-,96e

slight rotational 'movement vof the shaft '8 will not lcause rotation of the crank shaft, However, any lconsiderable rotational movement of the shaft 8 "will cause the turning of the crank shaft in its bearings and such bearings therefore ywill be'lburned in` when the power plant of the tractor is operated in'the usual manner to cause rotation vof the shaft 8. The various speeds of the :power plant of the tractor may be utilized as is desired during the operation of burning in the bearings.

The substitution of the shaft 8 for the usual worm drive shaft of the tractor can be.y effected quickly and easily and the usual worm shaft of the tractor can be placed with equal facility so that but little time and labor are required to secure the attachment to the tractor so that the motive power of the tractor can be utilized toburn in the bearings. Vhen the bearings have been burned in, the attachment can be detached quickly and easily from the tractor and the tractor will be adapted for use in performing the usual functions of a tractor when the drive shaft 8 is replaced by the usual worm drive shaft and the stufiing box 11 is replaced by the usual draw bar cap of the tractor.

Obviously, our invention is susceptible of embodiment in forms other vthan that herein described, and we therefore consider as our own all such modifications and adaptations of the form of the device herein described that fairly fall within the scope of the appended claims.

te claim l. An attachment of the character described comprising a frame attachable to a fixed part of the rear end structure of a tractor, said frame being adapted to support an engine block, a shaft adapted to replace the usual worm drive shaft of the tractor, said substitute shaft being disconnected from the usual worm wheel of the transmission mechanism of the tractor, and means for coupling the crank shaft of said engine block to said substitute drive shaft.

2. rin attachment of the character described comprising a pair of side frame members, each being right angular in cross section, corresponding` flanges of said side members being vertical and the remaining flanges of said side members being horizontal and turned laterally outward, a pair of rails secured to said side members on the inner faces of the vertical flanges of said side members, said rails being adapted to have the laterally enlarged upper end portion of an engine block supported thereon, clamping means adjustably connected with the hori- Zontal flanges of said side members and engageable with the upper side of Vsaid engine block to hold said engine block on saidrails, means securing said side members to a fixed part of the structure of a tractor at the rear end `o'fthe llatterand at opposite sides of the housingfof the'drive shaft of the structure, and means replacing the usual draw bar cap and the usual worm drive shaft of the tractor for connecting ythe crank shaft of said lengine block with arotatinglpartvofthe transmission mechanism of said tractor.

3. rin attachment of lthe character described comprising a Apair of side fr; ne members, each being rightangular in cross section, corresponding flanges of said side members being' vertical andthe remaining flanges of said side 'members being horizontal and turned laterally outward, a pair of rails secured to said side members on the inner faces of the vertical flangesof said side members, said rails being adapted to have the laterally enlarged upper end portion of an engine block supported thereon, clamping means adjustably connected with the horizontal flanges of said side members and engageable with the upper side of said engine block to hold said engine block on said rails, means securing said side members to a fixed part of the structure of a tractor at the rear end of the latter and at opposite sides of the housing of the drive shaft of the tractor, a stuffing box secured to the outer end of said drive shaft housing in the place of the usual draw bar cap, a drive shaft replacing the usual worm drive shaft of the tractor, said substitute drive shaft extending through said stuing box and having the rear end portion thereof formed to be non-circular in cross sectional contour, and a coupling plate attached to the forward end of the crank shaft ofsaid engine and having a non-circular central opening engage'd with the non-circular rear end of said substitute drive shaft.

t. In an attachment of the character described, a supporting frame comprising a pair of side bars, a pair of rails secured to said side bars and carried on the inner faces of the latter, said rail having inwardly eX- tending flanges at their upper ends adapted to extend inwardly beyond the outer edge of the ange at the upper end of an engine block which is disposed between said side bars, rest members adj ustably engaged with said inturned flanges of the rails for spac ing said rim flange of the engine from the upper faces of said inturned flanges of the rails, clamping members movable vertically to and from position to rest upon said engine block above said rails, a cross bar connecting said clamping members, and means adjustably connecting said cross bar with said side members of the supporting frame and operable to tighten said clamping members against said engine block.

5. In an attachment of the character de scribed, a supporting' frame comprising a pair of 'side bars, a pair of rails secured to said side bars and carried on the inner faces of the latter, said rails having inwardly extending flanges at their upper ends adapted to extend inwardly beyond the outer edge of the ange at the upper end of an engine block which is disposed between said side bars, rest members adjustably engaged with said inturned flanges of the rails i'or spacing said rim flange of the engine from the upper' faces of said inturned flanges of the rails, clamping` members .movable vertically to and from position to rest upon Said engine block above said rails, a cross bar connecting said clamp-ing members, means adjustably connecting said cross bar with said side members of the supporting frame and operable to tighten said clamping` members against said engine block, a lower cross bar connecting said side members of the frame, and tie bars connected to the forward end portions or" said side bars and adapted to 15 connect said side bars with the worm gear housing at the rear end of a tractor.

RICHARD C. VlTTli/LAN. HILARY FRANCIS VITTMAN. EDR/TIN ANTHONY TvV'FllwlAN. 

